Thanks to this latest roundtable, it is with some embarrassment that I have to admit that I had not seen Son Of Frankenstein until just recently, despite it starring Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, and Bela Lugosi. It’s with further embarrassment that I admit that I have not seen that many classic horror movies from Universal Studios. And it’s with even further embarrassment that I must admit that until recent years, I hadn’t watched that many older films. For my long and tortured explanations for all of the above, read the review.
Keith Bailey is the proprietor of The Unknown Movies Page.
#1 by Loki on August 6th, 2009
Fan though I am of Rathbone, Karloff and Lugosi, I have to say the real highlight of the movie is Lionel Atwill as Inspector Krogh. A great performance, both underplayed and over-the-top.
#2 by MatthewF on August 7th, 2009
Good review. But you count three cinemas and a drive in as not having much way of seeing movies? You should have seen my home town, we had one cinema that was knocked down in ’85 (the last film? Desperately Seeking Susan, folks) and has been an unpaved car park for the last 24 years. Coincidentally it’s not that far from where Boris Karloff used to live, in a cottage that is quite hollywood in it’s quaintness.
#3 by Greywizard on August 7th, 2009
MatthewF: I guess I was fortunate enough to have three theaters and a drive-in in my area, after reading your account. I should point out, however, that in the first few years of my life, the situation was just ONE theater and one drive-in in my area. And even after the additional two theaters were built, what was booked in my area was primarily new major studio stuff – not much in the area of classic films or independent exploitation. That included the drive-in, which I only got to visit about 3 times in my life, when my parents took us kids to see “G” and “PG” movies. By the time I learned to drive, the drive-in had closed.
#4 by Blake on August 7th, 2009
Man, I regret not having paid the R$ 5 to buy the double DVD of this and “Ghost of Frankenstein” last year. Huh. I guess not having seen any Universal Horror movie would probably be a glaring hole in one’s filmography (considering that I haven’t seen “The Wolf Man” or the first “Frankenstein”, among others).
#5 by David lee Ingersoll on August 7th, 2009
I was surprised how much I enjoyed this movie. It’s a step down from Frankenstein and Bride but not a huge step. Lugosi is great. He’s obviously having fun. And Rathbone does a great job as the son who looks up to his father a little too much.
Too bad about the kid though. I was so disappointed that he survived the film.
#6 by El Santo on August 8th, 2009
Personally, I think Son of Frankenstein is an enormous step UP from its predecessors. There aren’t a lot of movies I hate more than Bride of Frankenstein.
#7 by Thomas on August 8th, 2009
Yes, but you’re wrong.
#8 by Thomas on August 12th, 2009
I meant that in a nice way, but maybe I should have included a smiley.